Airport basking shark mosaic 'celebrates Manx marine life'

A large mosaic of a basking shark surrounded by plankton has been unveiled at the Isle of Man's Airport.

The 9.8 ft (3m) long piece is made from recycled Venetian mosaic glass, Manx stone and a variety of found items.

Creator Kimmy McHarrie, who grew up in Castletown, said she "wanted to celebrate the amazing marine life this island has".

The piece, entitled Interdependence, was a project supported by Culture Vannin to mark its 40th birthday.

The project also included a short film about the making of the mosaic and the inspiration behind it.

Ms McHarrie, who was taught by celebrated Manx artist Norman Sayle while studying art foundation at the island's college of further education, said the idea sprung from a desire to celebrate the island's marine life and also to encourage people to think about the sea-life ecosystem.

The artist said as well as having a "wow factor", she hoped it would make people not only think about basking sharks themselves but also the plankton, which were both endangered.

Ms McHarrie said: "Basking sharks are dependent on plankton to survive, but if you think about it we're all actually dependent on plankton to survive because they're the bottom of the food chain."

"Without them there are no fish, there's no food for millions of people, and they are also responsible for producing up to half of the oxygen that we breathe.

"So we have to really keep an eye on the oceans because they're incredibly important."

The design of the piece, which took Ms McHarrie six months to put together at her home in Kent, was also inspired by an experience of seeing a basking shark while in her grandfather's boat in Castletown Harbour at a young child.

"They're just an amazing presence if you've ever been up close to one," she added.

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Kimmy McHarrie

Kimmy McHarrie - Interdependence

Culture Vannin